Happy Birthday, Abby!!!

(Abby with her first child, Motley, circa 2005)

Everyone please join me in wishing my one and only baby sister a Happy Birthday!

Roughly 26 years and 9 months ago, on a sunny afternoon, my brother and I were riding in the backseat of our car when we got the news. My mother turned and announced that we would not be able to have our own rooms as planned because she was pregnant. I honestly have no memory of what I felt about this but my memory of being told the news is very vivid. Several months later I recall being awakened in the dark of night and rushed off to the Osborn’s house. Later that morning we received a call informing us that we had a baby sister. I recall being quite pleased as I really wanted a little sister.

Despite an early incident in which I was struck unceremoniously on the head with this clock:

(her childish innocence belied her true murderous intentions), she was actually a very sweet and fun child. I was 11 when she was born and I remember taking great pride in giving her rides around our neighborhood in her stroller. Mike, a neighborhood kid, had a little sister slightly older than Abby and we used to pretend that we were racing them around the block. They both had chubby little legs so we dubbed his sister Moose and Abby, Ham-legs. It was great fun!

I recall nights of being by her bedside during storms when she was scared so that my parents wouldn’t have to get up and I recall torturing her with her baby Snuggles on vacation car rides. I remember the first movie I took her to, An American Tail, in which she fell asleep before the show was over. I also recall a moment recently mentioned by my mother in the comments section in which Abby was along with my best friend and our girlfriends as I spun a cookie around a light pole in town in order to turn around to go back to the grocery store and pick up the milk my mom asked me to get…this is the incident that Abby was not supposed to share with my parents.

My brother Jason and I had alot of fun with Abby over the years. Looking at old home movies recently we had a good laugh at her little tiny voice and her desire to have everyone’s attention. Abby was a good one for bringing up the amourous moments of previous girlfriends in the presence of the current girlfriend. She really was and is a precious sister.

I have always felt sad that I went several states away for college when Abby was very young and I missed out on a lot of her childhood. I think that is one of the many reasons why we are such a close family. The feelings I have for both of my siblings really intensified after I left home and I’m so glad they are both living close by now.

Abby, you share your birthday with the incomparable Martha Stewart and Martin Sheen and on this date in:

1492 Columbus set sail

1858 the source of the Nile was discovered

1914 the first ship sailed through the Panama Canal

and in 1958 the world’s first nuclear submarine, the U.S.S. Nautilus accomplished the first ever undersea voyage to the geographic North Pole!

Happy 26th birthday, ham-legs. You are a wonderful, marvelous sister. I’m very proud of you and your accomplishments. You are so much fun to be around and I enjoy being able to spend time with you as an adult. You have wonderful decorative taste and even picked a tolerable husband (just kidding, Mike is wonderful too! 🙂 ) I love you so very much and am forever thankful that I had to share a room with Jason so that I could have a baby sister. Have a wonderful birthday, Sweet Baboo!

23 thoughts on “Happy Birthday, Abby!!!”

Joyeux anniversaire, and many happy returns…!

Happy Birthday to your Favourite Sister.

(I too have only one sister and call her my favourite all the time)

Thanx for stopping by my blog via Michele.

Happy Birthday, Abby!

For me she’s already received a lifetime’s worth of gift supplies: Unconditional love and fondness from her family as evident from this touching post from her big brother.

Thanks for stopping by my blog. 🙂

Happy Birthday, Abby! It has been a treat getting to know you! Your’re fun and sweet and have a hilarious little dog! May your birthday be special and may God’s blessings be poured out on you in the coming year.

Happy Birthday, Abby!

I haven’t seen you recently, but it has been a pleasure getting to know you and Mike. Have a wonderful day.

Happy birthday, little sis! You are a super wonderful sister-in-law and friend.

Happy B-Day little sis! It seems like she’s got a lot going for her with such a great older brother! I know the feeling, I’ve three of them.

happy birthday Abby (sorry about my bad writting on your card, my mom woke me up and told me to write somthing) for some reason i follow after you, i guess thats good, most of the time. Well IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII LLLLLLLLLOOOOOOVVVVVEEEEE YYYOOOUUUU SSSSOOOOO MMMMUUUCCCHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOVE YOUR #1 FAVORITE NIECE IN WHOLE WORLD.

ToRey

Sorry Tori, Abby just called and said Haley is her favorite niece. 🙂

Sorry, I don’t have a niece named ToRey!!!

Happy Birthday Ham-Legs!!! I hope all your birthday-candle wishes are met 🙂

Happy Birthday, Abby! Is that a minpin you’re holding? I used to have one; he was adorable!

Oh and “I spun a cookie around a light pole” in Bostonian would be “I did donuts around the light pole” LOL!

We used the donuts term as well but mostly cookies. Did alot of those as a young man.

Those are very sweet remembrances, and I join you in wishing her many happy returns.

I was 2 when my first sister was born; 4 when the second came along; 5 but almost 6 when the third appeared. We still lived in a 3 bedroom home at this point, my mother being too pregnant all the time to care to move. So, 2nd sister being only 18months, my mother did not want to put the new baby in with her because they might wake each other up during the night. Her solution: myself, my second sister, and the new baby crowded in one room, and sister 2 snuggly all by herself in the other.

Of course, this was after the first few months, being the 18 month old was still not out of the crib, during which time the new baby slept in a basket…which, though she is now 18 and on her way to University in a few short weeks, continues to outrage her to this day.

There is nothing quite like a little sister, is there?

Happy Birthday, Abby. You are loved so much by your Dad and I!! We are proud of you and yes Mike is tolerable -actually,I think he’s great!!! I loved dressing you as a baby and while you were growing up. I loved dressing the boys too, but they didn’t appreciate the matching polyester outfits!! or the hand-me downs !!! Have a happy day-wish we were close enough to spend the evening with you. Alas, all our children are in Missouri,and we are still in Nebraska.

Much thanks to Carl for the thoughtful, funny, and memorable post. Thanks also to all of you who have sent your b-day wishes & own memorable stories.

I truly fulfilled my job as being an “annoying” little sister. And, as Carl mentioned above, I used my toys as weapons when ignored!!

I’m sorry that I messed up the room plan, but you two probably would not have had such a close relationship had you been separated by a wall! And besides, ship-a-boat(sp?) probably would never have been invented (or was this before my existence).

I do remember you taking me to An American Tail & falling asleep. Didn’t Osborns go with us? And, I never did tell mom & dad about the “dukes of hazzard” incident until years later when you told me I could.

Anyway, just wanted to thank you for the recognition. And, in the words of Tori & Alissa(sp?) love ya like a fat kids loves chocolate cake!!

I was wondering why no one has mentioned the clock incident. I figured at least one of you would have an “ahhh, that’s why he’s the way he is” comment! I still can remember the song that clock played and exactly how it sounded. They don’t make toys that solid anymore!

Yes, Jared and Julie went to the movie with us.

Hand me downs and the matching cloths were a source of great embarassment to us but at least we have funny stories to tell about it now! 🙂

Cool. Birthdays are so much fun. Happy birthday!

From a complete stranger,
Rob

Happy birthday sweetheart! I will give you your real birthday present later. Well I have to go and clean up Motley (our puppy) and Sunshine’s (our fat cat) presents to you now. Fun Fun Love you always and forever